Red Dirt Cannabis Nurses Association was born out of the clear need for medical cannabis in Oklahoma and the passion of two local nurses and longtime cannabis advocates.
We were long aware of the supportive research, the beauty of the endocannabinoid system, the homemade remedies and anecdotal reports, the miraculous healings amongst our friends and family and the unfortunate commitment of the legislators and law enforcement to fill up our prisons. We gained new friends and developed a network of like-minded educated advocates.
Unfortunately, nurses in particular were not receptive to the body of evidence about
the safety and medical efficacy of cannabis and this is why we needed to start RDCNA. Perhaps this was due to professional bias and/or employment and legal concerns. But because of this, in the lead up to the passage of SQ 788 we reached out to medical and nursing associations, legislators, nursing programs, we wrote op/ed pieces, led ethics complaints, hosted educational events and placed signs in the hopes that OK could have a progressive, swiftly implemented medical cannabis program.
Having medical conditions ourselves, we applied the principles of nursing and determined that patient rights and professional ethics have been lacking in medicine and medical legislation. Nurses are taught to promote the “whole” person in the journey to health. When a patient is empowered with information and healthcare choices they begin to experience personal autonomy, they gain hope. This is essential in treating whole people.
RDCNA is administered by nurses with the hopes of providing healthcare professionals, patients and citizens that want referenced information and the support of like-minded individuals. We will develop separate files for patient and nursing reports of experiences. We are working on training modules related to cannabis nursing. We hope to merge all cannabis knowledge in our files and database. You will find information on topics like the role of cannabinoids in homeostasis and in different disease states, safety considerations, nutritional support, the routes and preparation of cannabis-based medicine.
We are new, we hope to grow with integrity and ensure this service is rooted in truth and compassion. We have a mission statement, rules and goals. We remain committed to cannabis medicine and stand with Oklahomans and against the forces we know will try to cripple SQ 788. We move forward in confidence because education is never wasted.